Trending...
- University of La Verne Appoints New AVP for Inclusive Excellence - 161
- California: Three years after the end of Roe, Governor Newsom, First Partner sound the alarm on Trump's "Big, Beautiful" plan to defund Planned Parenthood - 102
- California awards over $15 million to apprenticeship programs connecting youth to high-paying jobs
CCHR Praises New Precedent-Setting Law Linking Psychiatric Drug Use to Public Safety Risks
LOS ANGELES - Californer -- A landmark law recently passed in Tennessee raises awareness about psychotropic drugs linked to potential violent behavior, marking a paradigm shift in advancing public safety and accountability for these prescriptions. The Citizens Commission on Human Rights International, a mental health industry watchdog, praised the regulations as timely, given that May is Mental Health Awareness Month.
The new law mandates toxicology testing for psychotropic drugs in autopsies of certain deceased mass shooters. Sheila Matthews, Vice President of the parents' rights group, ABLECHILD, and Amy Miller, an advocate for pharmaceutical industry reform, helped draft the legislation, which also directs the University of Tennessee Health Science Center to study interactions between psychotropic drugs and other substances found in violent perpetrators.[1]
Some 77 million Americans take psychotropic drugs, including over 6 million children and youths. While acknowledging that this does not mean all consumers could become violent, CCHR says that Tennessee, recognizing the need for rigorous oversight and accountability, will benefit consumer informed consent rights and increase public safety.
Matthews commented on the nationwide—and global—effects it could create, calling it a "blueprint for dismantling the wall of secrecy" about the violent adverse effects of some psychotropics. "When someone commits mass murder," Matthews continued, "the public has a right to know if mind-altering drugs played a role."
The law requires the county medical examiner to test a deceased perpetrator for the presence of any drugs, including prescription psychotropics, and must disclose the drug use to the University of Tennessee's health science center and the Department of Health.
CCHR says the law is a vital first step but should be expanded. It currently applies only if the perpetrator is deceased and four or more people are killed, with no requirement for testing or disclosure if the perpetrator survives. CCHR is urging other states to adopt similar laws with broader testing and public reporting to strengthen transparency and accountability.
More on The Californer
CCHR says the results of those tests could be filed with the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Adverse Drug Reporting (ADR) system, which could flag the need for further investigations and studies. Already, the FDA has reports of at least 1,530 cases of homicide/homicidal ideation recorded as linked to psychiatric drugs.[2]
A 2010 study published in Public Library of Science ONE analyzed the FDA's ADRs and identified 25 prescription psychiatric drugs disproportionately associated with violence. These included antidepressants, sedative/hypnotics, and drugs used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The cases of violence linked to these drugs ranged from homicide and physical assaults to homicidal ideation and violence-related symptoms.[3]
In November 2019, The Violence Project, funded by the U.S. Justice Department, released the largest, most comprehensive database of mass shooters in the United States.[4] A 2021 analysis of the database by Voice of America, the state-owned news network of the US, revealed that 23% of the mass shooters had been on psychiatric drugs.[5] This was likely greatly underreported, as researchers did not have access to all of the perpetrators' toxicology and medical records, only whatever information was publicly available.[6]
At least one antidepressant lists "homicidal ideation" as a side effect; a common stimulant may cause "suicidal or homicidal tendencies," according to the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration. A 2023 article warned that antipsychotics can sometimes cause violence, agitation, hostility, and impulsivity.[7] In 2024, medical and legal experts discussed the "overwhelming evidence from clinical studies and from tragic events that antidepressants can cause homicide."[8]
Such studies and now the Tennessee law have strengthened the need for a non-biomedical approach to helping people with mental health issues and to urgently shift away from forcing such treatments on individuals or coercing them to take them by not fully informing them that violent or hostile effects could be sourced to the treatment, says Jan Eastgate, President of CCHR International, headquartered in Los Angeles.
CCHR hopes the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association (APA), being held in Los Angeles during Mental Health Awareness Month, will formally support the Tennessee law and adopt the international call for an end to coercive treatment in mental health. Matthews calls for the mental health industry to end stigmatizing patients, blaming their mental health diagnosis instead of the powerful mind-altering drugs prescribed to them.[9]
More on The Californer
The group wants safety protection laws similar to that passed in Tennessee, but with even broader testing and reporting systems accountable to the public.
Since 1989, CCHR, which was established 56 years ago by the Church of Scientology and author and professor of psychiatry, Dr. Thomas Szasz, has collected evidence and case reports of violent acts where a perpetrator was taking or withdrawing from psychotropics. In 2018, it published a fully documented report, Psychiatric Drugs: Create Violence & Suicide—School Shootings and Other Acts of Senseless Violence, with more than 30 studies that link prescription psychotropics to hostility, mania, aggression, self-harm, and suicide.
Sources:
[1] "ABLECHILD: Tennessee Sets National Precedent with Passage of AbleChild Bill Requiring Psychotropic Drug Testing in Mass Shooter Cases," ABLECHILD, 30 Apr. 2025, www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/04/ablechild-tennessee-sets-national-precedent-passage-ablechild-bill/
[2] Psychiatric Drugs Create Violence & Suicide, CCHR International, 2017, p. 12, www.cchrint.org/pdfs/violence-report.pdf
[3] Thomas J. Moore, et al., "Prescription Drugs Associated with Reports of Violence Towards Others," Public Library of Science ONE, Vol. 5, lss. 12, Dec. 2010, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3002271/
[4] The Violence Project Database of Mass Shootings in the United States, 1966–2019, www.theviolenceproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/TVP-Mass-Shooter-Database-Report-Final-compressed.pdf
[5] www.cchrint.org/2023/06/13/23-percent-mass-shooters-on-psychiatric-drugs/; Sharon Shahid and Megan Duzor, "VOA SPECIAL REPORT: HISTORY OF MASS SHOOTERS," VOA News, 1 June 2021, projects.voanews.com/mass-shootings/
[6] "Mass Shooter Database," The Violence Project, www.theviolenceproject.org/mass-shooter-database/; "Methodology," The Violence Project, www.theviolenceproject.org/methodology/
[7] www.cchrint.org/2024/10/11/cchr-wants-increased-consumer-awareness-about-prescriptions-for-violence/; "Detailed View: Safety Labeling Changes Approved By FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) – November 2005," FDA; AUSTRALIAN PRODUCT INFORMATION ASPEN DEXAMFETAMINE tablets, 26 Feb 2024, www.ebs.tga.gov.au/ebs/picmi/picmirepository.nsf/pdf?OpenAgent=&id=CP-2023-PI-02524-1&d=20250505172310101; Alex Alikiotis "The Link Between Antipsychotics And Aggressive Behavior: Understanding The Potential Causes Of Violence," MedShun 24 Dec. 2023
[8] www.cchrint.org/2024/10/11/cchr-wants-increased-consumer-awareness-about-prescriptions-for-violence/
[9] www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/04/ablechild-tennessee-sets-national-precedent-passage-ablechild-bill/
The new law mandates toxicology testing for psychotropic drugs in autopsies of certain deceased mass shooters. Sheila Matthews, Vice President of the parents' rights group, ABLECHILD, and Amy Miller, an advocate for pharmaceutical industry reform, helped draft the legislation, which also directs the University of Tennessee Health Science Center to study interactions between psychotropic drugs and other substances found in violent perpetrators.[1]
Some 77 million Americans take psychotropic drugs, including over 6 million children and youths. While acknowledging that this does not mean all consumers could become violent, CCHR says that Tennessee, recognizing the need for rigorous oversight and accountability, will benefit consumer informed consent rights and increase public safety.
Matthews commented on the nationwide—and global—effects it could create, calling it a "blueprint for dismantling the wall of secrecy" about the violent adverse effects of some psychotropics. "When someone commits mass murder," Matthews continued, "the public has a right to know if mind-altering drugs played a role."
The law requires the county medical examiner to test a deceased perpetrator for the presence of any drugs, including prescription psychotropics, and must disclose the drug use to the University of Tennessee's health science center and the Department of Health.
CCHR says the law is a vital first step but should be expanded. It currently applies only if the perpetrator is deceased and four or more people are killed, with no requirement for testing or disclosure if the perpetrator survives. CCHR is urging other states to adopt similar laws with broader testing and public reporting to strengthen transparency and accountability.
More on The Californer
- California: El Gobernador Newsom firma un presupuesto estatal equilibrado que reduce los impuestos a los veteranos, financia completamente las comidas escolares gratuitas, construye más viviendas y crea empleos
- California: Governor Newsom signs balanced state budget that cuts taxes for vets, fully funds free school meals, builds more housing, & creates jobs
- California: Governor Newsom announces appointments 6.27.25
- NYC Leadership Strategist Stacie Selise Launches Groundbreaking 4S Framework Series to Redefine Executive Excellence
- Baby Boomer Housing Trend: Big Homes Out, Simplicity In
CCHR says the results of those tests could be filed with the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Adverse Drug Reporting (ADR) system, which could flag the need for further investigations and studies. Already, the FDA has reports of at least 1,530 cases of homicide/homicidal ideation recorded as linked to psychiatric drugs.[2]
A 2010 study published in Public Library of Science ONE analyzed the FDA's ADRs and identified 25 prescription psychiatric drugs disproportionately associated with violence. These included antidepressants, sedative/hypnotics, and drugs used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The cases of violence linked to these drugs ranged from homicide and physical assaults to homicidal ideation and violence-related symptoms.[3]
In November 2019, The Violence Project, funded by the U.S. Justice Department, released the largest, most comprehensive database of mass shooters in the United States.[4] A 2021 analysis of the database by Voice of America, the state-owned news network of the US, revealed that 23% of the mass shooters had been on psychiatric drugs.[5] This was likely greatly underreported, as researchers did not have access to all of the perpetrators' toxicology and medical records, only whatever information was publicly available.[6]
At least one antidepressant lists "homicidal ideation" as a side effect; a common stimulant may cause "suicidal or homicidal tendencies," according to the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration. A 2023 article warned that antipsychotics can sometimes cause violence, agitation, hostility, and impulsivity.[7] In 2024, medical and legal experts discussed the "overwhelming evidence from clinical studies and from tragic events that antidepressants can cause homicide."[8]
Such studies and now the Tennessee law have strengthened the need for a non-biomedical approach to helping people with mental health issues and to urgently shift away from forcing such treatments on individuals or coercing them to take them by not fully informing them that violent or hostile effects could be sourced to the treatment, says Jan Eastgate, President of CCHR International, headquartered in Los Angeles.
CCHR hopes the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association (APA), being held in Los Angeles during Mental Health Awareness Month, will formally support the Tennessee law and adopt the international call for an end to coercive treatment in mental health. Matthews calls for the mental health industry to end stigmatizing patients, blaming their mental health diagnosis instead of the powerful mind-altering drugs prescribed to them.[9]
More on The Californer
- Governor Newsom slams Trump over bill that would cut millions in health coverage, food assistance for California
- Jamison & Tania Events Wins Dual California Wedding Day Magazine "Best of 2025" Awards
- California invests billions of dollars to fix roads with "gas tax," expand bus and train service
- Long Beach: City Offering Space Beach Youth Workforce Summer Camp to Inspire Next Generation of Aerospace Professionals
- Make Innovation Matter: Support H.R.1's R&D Expensing Relief for American Small Businesses
The group wants safety protection laws similar to that passed in Tennessee, but with even broader testing and reporting systems accountable to the public.
Since 1989, CCHR, which was established 56 years ago by the Church of Scientology and author and professor of psychiatry, Dr. Thomas Szasz, has collected evidence and case reports of violent acts where a perpetrator was taking or withdrawing from psychotropics. In 2018, it published a fully documented report, Psychiatric Drugs: Create Violence & Suicide—School Shootings and Other Acts of Senseless Violence, with more than 30 studies that link prescription psychotropics to hostility, mania, aggression, self-harm, and suicide.
Sources:
[1] "ABLECHILD: Tennessee Sets National Precedent with Passage of AbleChild Bill Requiring Psychotropic Drug Testing in Mass Shooter Cases," ABLECHILD, 30 Apr. 2025, www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/04/ablechild-tennessee-sets-national-precedent-passage-ablechild-bill/
[2] Psychiatric Drugs Create Violence & Suicide, CCHR International, 2017, p. 12, www.cchrint.org/pdfs/violence-report.pdf
[3] Thomas J. Moore, et al., "Prescription Drugs Associated with Reports of Violence Towards Others," Public Library of Science ONE, Vol. 5, lss. 12, Dec. 2010, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3002271/
[4] The Violence Project Database of Mass Shootings in the United States, 1966–2019, www.theviolenceproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/TVP-Mass-Shooter-Database-Report-Final-compressed.pdf
[5] www.cchrint.org/2023/06/13/23-percent-mass-shooters-on-psychiatric-drugs/; Sharon Shahid and Megan Duzor, "VOA SPECIAL REPORT: HISTORY OF MASS SHOOTERS," VOA News, 1 June 2021, projects.voanews.com/mass-shootings/
[6] "Mass Shooter Database," The Violence Project, www.theviolenceproject.org/mass-shooter-database/; "Methodology," The Violence Project, www.theviolenceproject.org/methodology/
[7] www.cchrint.org/2024/10/11/cchr-wants-increased-consumer-awareness-about-prescriptions-for-violence/; "Detailed View: Safety Labeling Changes Approved By FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) – November 2005," FDA; AUSTRALIAN PRODUCT INFORMATION ASPEN DEXAMFETAMINE tablets, 26 Feb 2024, www.ebs.tga.gov.au/ebs/picmi/picmirepository.nsf/pdf?OpenAgent=&id=CP-2023-PI-02524-1&d=20250505172310101; Alex Alikiotis "The Link Between Antipsychotics And Aggressive Behavior: Understanding The Potential Causes Of Violence," MedShun 24 Dec. 2023
[8] www.cchrint.org/2024/10/11/cchr-wants-increased-consumer-awareness-about-prescriptions-for-violence/
[9] www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/04/ablechild-tennessee-sets-national-precedent-passage-ablechild-bill/
Source: Citizens Commission on Human Rights International
Filed Under: Consumer, Medical, Health, Government, Science, Citizens Commission On Human Rights, CCHR International
0 Comments
Latest on The Californer
- Coastal Business Systems Hosts 2025 Tech Show to Drive Innovation and Operational Excellence
- ReProp Financial Expands Footprint with Acquisition of Z Loan & Investment in Zephyr Cove, Nevada
- City of Long Beach Launches InsideLB News
- Marin Community Clinics Honors Three Community Health Champions
- Helping California Nonprofits Thrive with Strategic Funding Plans
- The Pala Band of Mission Indians Breaks Ground on New Super Mart & Fuel Station, Creating Jobs and Expanding Access to Fresh Food, Fuel, and Services
- Colorado Scenthound Locations Partner with Humane Colorado to Give Adopted Dogs a "Clean Start"
- IEI Unveils FDA-Certified EndoCap-3588 for Legacy Endoscopy Upgrades
- Benchmark International Successfully Facilitated the Trans BT Ad Art, Inc. and Vision Sign, Inc
- Endoacustica Europe Unveils iPhone 13 Pro Max Spy Phone—Pure Hardware, Zero Software Changes
- Suzanne Harp named Managing Director in Texas, USA
- $10 Million Acquisition of GXR World Sports Assets Energizes Global Launch of Sports.com Super App by Online Lottery-Sports Game Provider: Lottery.com
- Advot.org works to improve the lives of incarcerated youth and is launching season two of its podcast, Thursdays in Juvie
- Shop American Made Goods: New Online Marketplace My American Goods Curates the Best of U.S. Made
- Dr. Valerie J. Fuller Begins Term as President of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners®
- Investor Spotlight: Cycurion, Inc. (N A S D A Q: CYCU) Secures $69M in Contracts Amid Surging Demand for AI-Powered Cybersecurity Solutions
- $328 Million Global Stroke Rehab Market Opportunity Awaits AI Telehealth Leader Following Selection for NIH Funded Phase 3 Clinical Study: VSee Health
- Ascent Solar Technologies Enters Collaborative Agreement Notice with NASA to Advance Development of Thin-Film PV Power Beaming Capabilities: ASTI
- VoodooSoft Unveils SiriusLLM: The World's First ChatGPT-Like AI Malware Detection Engine
- Resume Writing with AI? Career Expert Warns of Common Pitfalls